By their very nature, literary festivals are unique from, say, music or film festivals. They're not driven by spectacle and they don't cater to the senses. Instead, the life of the mind takes center stage. Literary fests are as much a place for free and open dialogue as they are for entertainment. But that's not to say there isn't a good deal of fun to be had at many of them. Some successfully mix the highbrow with the lowbrow, creating an event that stimulates both the mind and the eye. And at the very least, they attract some marquee names to gawk at in a setting worthy of their wisdom.
Here is a list of a few of the literary festivals worth checking out.